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Re: Cosmology



At 02:19 PM 6/17/2004, Jim, you wrote:

The following is from another list -- a copyeditors list -- where the
editor is asking if the grammar can be improved. I am wondering if the
sentence make any sense at all.

Comments?


>If the universe were finite and smaller than the distance to the "surface
>of last scattering"

A universe cannot be smaller than a specified distance within it
measured comparably.
The concept of a deep space trajectory without any scattering
is not a popular model with cosmologists, as far as I can tell.


(the place in deep space from whence comes the cosmic
>microwaves and that constitutes the edge of the visible universe),

I understand that the word "whence" is to be construed as
"from where" and that "whither" is parsed as "to where".
Cosmic microwaves are omnipresent, though variable in density.
The notion of a visible edge of the universe is I think,
problematical.

then
>multiple images should show up in the microwave background.


Multiple images of deep sky features have been identified, and
the mechanism is given as gravitational lensing at an intermediate
zone of higher density.

>
>Please focus on the parenthetical comment. I've rewritten it to say: "the
>place in deep space where the cosmic microwaves originate and that
>constitutes the edge of the visible universe," but the two clauses joined
>by "and" are not parallel.

Jim


Jim Green
mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen


Brian Whatcott Altus OK Eureka!